Galaxy lays Audrey Hepburn (back) to rest as it reveals first TVC since 2013
Mars Chocolate’s Galaxy has sealed the coffin of its resurrected advertising star, Audrey Hepburn, choosing instead to feature a ‘modern day heroine’ in its first global campaign since 2013.
Galaxy goes topsy turvey
‘Thought Train’ is a trippy film that follows the Shakespearean actress and poet Jade Anouka as she makes her way through a locomotive full of surprise twists and turns. The journey begins as a mundane commute, but once Anouka spots a blue bird resting on her smartphone she’s taken on a topsy-turvy voyage.
When she lands back in her seat and into reality, she puts her phone aside and instead chooses to snap off a chunk of Galaxy chocolate.
Tapping into the current trend for mindfulness, the spot co-created by AMV BBDO and BBDO New York aims to encourage modern women to set aside distracting technologies and to-do lists and make time to embrace pleasure; the blue bird that begins Anouka’s journey, for instance, is meant to be representation of Twitter and its never-ending stream of updates.
Soundtracked by a cover of The Pixies’ ‘Where is my mind?’, the spot forms part of a new £3m campaign. Mars has stated that online advertising will play a ‘key role’ in supporting the TVC from its launch through to the end of 2017. It will begin its run in the UK and Ireland, before heading to the US under the Dove brand.
The ad will then roll out across all Galaxy and Dove markets.
Michele Oliver, vice president of marketing at Mars Chocolate UK, said while her team is excited to launch a “new creative direction” for the Galaxy brand, she considers Thought Train to be a progression of Audrey Hepburn’s four-year tenure with the chocolate bar.
“Thought Train is the next stage of this journey,” she said. “A strong female icon has always been at the heart of the Galaxy story and our new heroine, Jade Anouka, is no different. She is a representation of the modern day, empowered woman and we hope that through this advert, our audience will be able to identify with the symbolic world she finds herself in. “
“The Galaxy brand has a long history of encouraging women to pursue pleasure - whether that’s a moment to really enjoy your favourite chocolate or a decision to put yourself first for once.”
James Drummond, board account director at AMV BBDO, added: “The idea and the meticulous execution is fresh and new for the brand and the film was designed to engage all the senses and hopefully creates a feeling of excitement, adventure and discovery, before ending, of course, with a choiceful [sic] moment of pleasure.”
Earlier this year The Drum got behind the scenes of the Audrey Hepburn ad, learn how she was brought to life here.
